Display stand



April 19, 1955 c, LARSQN 2,706,563

DISPLAY STAND Filed Feb. 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

C. O. LARSON DISPLAY STAND April 19, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 16, @951 INVENTOR.

.n M m z n I u w 'IIIIM W11 uz United States Patent O DISPLAY STAND Charles 0. Larson, Sterling, Ill.

Application February 16, 1951, Serial No. 211,401

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-178) This invention relates to display stands and, more particularly, to display stands for supporting articles suspended therefrom.

The display stand shown in this application is an improvement on the display stand shown in and described 1n my co-pending application, Serial No. 52,806 filed October 5, 1948, now Patent No. 2,650,717 issued September 1, 1953. There is shown in my prior application a display stand which is adapted to support in depending relation therefrom a series of articles carrying openings or eyes adapted to slip over a series of arms carried by the stand so that the articles may be hung therefrom in display or supported relation. One of the important features of that display stand is the fact that it may be collapsed or folded into a single plane for storage or transportation purposes and can thereafter be set up with a minimum expenditure of effort and time. This display stand, however possesses a limited maximum capacity.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a display stand of the type set forth above which can be expanded whereby to have a substantially unlimited article holding capacity and yet retain the other desirable features, particularly foldability, for storage and transportation.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a display stand of the type set forth having auxiliary supporting structures attached thereto whereby further to increase the capacity of the display stand.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a display stand of the type described which is simple in construction, easy to assemble, and economical to manufacture.

These and other objects of the invention will be better understood from the following specification when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings wherein like reference numerals have been used to indicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a display stand made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial enlarged view in cross section substantially as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the supporting arms;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the legs of the display stand;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the interconnecting links;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view in vertical section substantially as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 66 of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is an elevational view of one of the end sections of the display stand shown in Figure l, the end section being shown disconnected from its adjacent section with its associated parts in the folded condition.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1 thereof, there is shown a display stand made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention. The display stand includes a plurality of display sections, generally designated by the numerals 10, 12, and 14. As will be more fully described hereinafter, the number of display sections can be increased virtually indefinitely to obtain the desired amount of display capacity.

The sections 10 and 14 are end sections and are formed substantially identical. Accordingly, only the description of end section 10 will be given in detail. End section 10 comprises an upstanding rod 16 (see Figure 6), a plurality of article supporting arms 18, a plurality of sleeves 2G for spacing arms 18, a pair of legs 22 and a plurality o1 interconnecting links 24.

The rod 16 is substantially circular in cross section (see Figure 2), and extends the height of the display stand. One end of rod 16 has formed thereon a closed loop or eye 26 and rod 16 has formed on the other end thereot screw threads as at 28. Each arm 18 has an eye 28 formed at one end thereof, the aperture in the eye having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of rod 16 whereby the arms 18 can be slipped on rod 16. The other end of arm 18 has an upturned hook portion 30 which serves to retain articles to be supported thereon.

Means is provided for supporting rod 16 in an upright manner upon a supporting surface in the form of the legs 22. One end of each leg 22 is provided with a substantially closed eye 32 which has an aperture formed therein slightly greater than the cross section of rod 16. The other end of leg 22 has a depending portion 34 to which is attached in any suitable manner a foot 36. The foot 36 may be formed of rubber, plastic, wood, or other suitable material and may be attached by means of screw threads, gluing, a friction fit, and the like. Foot 36 is preferably made of some soft material which will preferably not scar or otherwise mar the underlying supporting surfaces.

The manner in which the arms 18, sleeves 20, legs 22, and links 24 are fastened in position on rod 16 can be best understood by referring to Figure 6. A shorter sleeve 38 and a washer 40 are disposed between the eye 26 of rod 16 and the first set of arms 18. The seleve 38 and the washer 40 have apertures therein of such a size that they can be readily slipped over rod 16. Three arms 18 are positioned below washer 40, each arm preferably being disposed at substantially right angles with respect to the adjacent arm, and below the lowermost arm is placed an interconnecting link 24, each end of the link 24 being provided with an aperture 41 therein. There is next placed upon the rod 16 a sleeve 20 below which is placed a a washer 42. Below washer 42 are placed three arms 18 and a link 24, these parts being arranged in the same manner as the arms and link disposed below washer 40. Similar assemblies of washers, arms, links and sleeves are placed upon rod 16 until the entire length thereof is oc copied by the assemblies. In the form shown in the drawings, four assemblies of sleeves, arms, washers, and links are shown positioned on the rod 16.

The lowermost sleeve 20 has a washer 44 placed therebeneath, washer 44 lying above the eyes 32 of the legs 22. Positioned below eyes 32 is another washer 46. The entire assembly is held in a connected operative relationship by means of a nut 48 which is threadedly received on the threaded portion 28 of rod 16. When nut 48 is tightened all of the parts positioned on rod 16 are held in a suitable operative position.

As may be best seen in Figure 1, the legs 22 are disposed opposite each other, that is, disposed degrees apart whereby to provide support for the rod 16. In order for rod 16 to be disposed substantially normally to the supporting surface, it is necessary that one of the depending portions 34 be shorter than the other since one of the legs in each supporting pair is disposed higher than the other. This feature is best seen in Figure 7 wherein section 10 is shown in the folded position.

The center section 12 is made up in substantially the same manner as are the end sections 10 and 14 with the exception that each arm and link section includes two arms 18 and two links 24 instead of three arms 18 and one link 24 as is the case in sections 10 and 14. It will be seen that since each section has but two supporting legs 22 it is necessary to interconnect two or more sections in order to provide a self-supporting display stand.

The interconnection between the sections is accomplished by means of bolts 50 which extend through the apertures 41 in links 24 of adjacent sections. Preferably there is also placed on bolts 50 a washer 52 and a pair of auxiliary article support arms 54 which have a construction identical with that of support arms 18. A nut 56 threadedly engages one end of bolt 50 whereby to hold the links 24, the washer 52, and the arms 54 in assembled position.

Since the links 24 carry the load of articles supported an arm 54 as well as the side thrust from the sections and 12 a rigidifying flange 58 is formed along one edge thereof and extends substantially normal to the body of link 24. There also is provided in the body of link 24 an aperture 60 which may be used to receive additional bolts carrying article supporting arms such as arms 18 or arms 54.

Referring to Figure 7 the manner in which all of the component parts positioned on rod 16 can be folded into substantially the same plane is illustrated. To place the display section 10 in this condition it is merely necessary to loosen nut 48 and swing the component parts to the position shown. After the parts are properly aligned, nut 48 can be tightened to hold the parts in the desired position for storage or shipment.

A display stand can be quickly formed from sections 10, 12, and 14 by loosening the nuts 48 and swinging the arms 18 and the links 24 to the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The adjacent sections are then joined by assembling the nut 56 on bolt 50 after placing the arms 54 and washer 52 in proper position. It is to be noted that the articles supporting arms 18 and 54 are preferably disposed at substantially right angles with respect to the link 24 or in alignment therewith in the case of one of the arms disposed on the end sections 10 and 14. It is to be understood, however, that a greater or lesser number of arms can be placed in each arm and link assembly, the arms in such instances being placed in suitable angular relationship. The links 24, in addition to interconnecting the adjacent display sections, also serve to carry additional article support arms 54 whereby to increase the article holding capacity of the assembled display stand.

It is apparent that various changes and modifications can be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only as set forth in the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A display stand comprising a pair of elongated spaced apart rods, each rod having one end threaded and having means providing an enlargement at the other end, a plurality of arms each including an eye at one end thereof of sufficient inner diameter to receive one of said rods therethrough, certain of said arms having the eye thereof positioned upon one of said rods and others of said arms having the eyes thereof positioned on the other of said rods, spacing sleeves telescopically mounted on each rod to space the arms on each of said rods, threaded means engaging the threaded end of each of said elongated rods for clamping the arms on said rods in any desired position of angular adjustment about the axis of the rod, a plurality of interconnecting links, each link having its opposite ends provided with an aperture, certain of said links being connected through an aperture thereof to one of said elongated rods and the others of said links being connected by means of one of the apertures thereof to the other of said elongated rods, means clampingly interconnecting the free apertured other ends of said links, and additional arms having eyes at one end, said additional arms being connected to the interconnected juncture of said links whereby said links .are operative rigidly to interconnect said elongated rods carrying said arms and whereby said links rigidly and clampingly carry said additional arms.

2. A display stand comprising a pair of elongated vertically disposed spaced apart rods, each rod having one end threaded and having means providing an enlargement at the other end, a plurality of arms each including an eye at one end thereof of sufficient inner diameter to receive one of said rods therethrough and an object supporting portion at the other end, certain of said arms having the eyes thereof positioned on one of said rods and the others of said arms having the eyes thereof positioned on the other of said rods, spacing sleeves telescopically mounted on each rod above and below the eyes of the arms on each of said rods, threaded means engaging the threaded end of each of said elongated rods for clamping the arms on said rods in any desired position of angular adjustment about the longitudinal axis of the rod, certain of said arms in operative position extending outwardly from the associated rods in opposite direction and in alignment with each other, certain of said arms extending outwardly from said rods in other directions, a plurality of interconnecting links, each link having its opposite ends provided with an aperture, certain of said links being connected through an aperture thereof to one of said elongated rods and the others of said links being connected by means of one of the apertures thereof to the other of said elongated rods, means clampingly interconnecting the free apertured other ends of said links, additional arms having eyes at one end, means connecting said additional arms to the interconnected juncture of said links in any desired position of angular adjustment with respect to said links and preferably in operative position and parallelism with said certain aligned arms on said rods.

3. A display stand comprising a pair of elongated spaced apart rods, each rod having one end threaded and having means providing an enlargement at the other end, a plurality of arms each including an eye at one end thereof of sufficient inner diameter to receive one of said rods therethrough, certain of said arms having the eye thereof positioned upon one of said rods and others of said arms having the eyes thereof positioned on the other of said rods, a pair of legs for each of said rods, each leg having an eye formed at one end thereon and receiving the associated rod therethrough, spacing means telescopically mounted on each rod to space the arms on each of said rods and to position said legs on each of said rods, threaded means engaging the threaded end of each of said rods for clamping the arms on said rods in any desired position of angular adjustment and for adjusting said legs on said rod, said legs in operative position extending outwardly from the associated rod and from each other and in substantial alignment, a plurality of .interconnecting links, each link having its opposite ends provided with an aperture, certain of said links being connected through an aperture thereof to one of said elongated rods and the others of said links being connected by means of one of the apertures thereof to the other of said elongated rods, means clampingly interconnecting the free apertured other ends of said links, and additional arms having eyes at one end, said additional arms being connected to the interconnected juncture of said links whereby said links are operative rigidly to interconnect said elongated rods carrying said arms and whereby said links rigidly and clampingly carry said additional arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 89,131 Daggett Apr. 20, 1869 211,483 Valley Jan. 21, 1879 354,697 Gabay 2. Dec. 21,1886 373,729 Eske Nov. 22, 1887 505,797 Wastall Sept. 26, 1893 946,108 Carpenter an. 11, 1910 1,508,488 Tretick Sept. 16, 1924 1,563,057 Williams Nov. 24, 1925 1,691,123 Pajean Nov. 13, 1928 1,747,369 Humphrey Feb. 18, 1930 2,194,191 Wolf Mar. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 273,434 Great Britain July 7, 1927 

